MULTAN, Feb 9: Pakistan Medical Association Friends Group office-bearers have alleged that the appointments of doctors against various contractual posts in Nishtar Medical College were made in violation of merit.

They alleged that the college administration and the health secretary had appointed their relatives and favourites.

They said the interview board had allocated only 25 marks for fellowship, qualification, experience, distinction and article publication out of 150 marks. They said in other hospitals and colleges, 80 percent marks were for academic qualification and experience and 20 percent for viva. They demanded an immediate inquiry against the selection board.

TAUNSA PROJECT: Fazal Rab Lund, Zaffar Khan Lund, Shamim Mai and Anwar Bibi of the Sindhu Bachao Tarla said that the

Taunsa Barrage Emergency Rehabilitation and Modernisation Project was creating environmental, economic and social problems for the people of Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan. They said the over-discharging of water in Muzaffargarh and Taunsa Panjnand Link canals in the summer season of 2006 had caused waterlogging and destruction of crops of sugarcane, rice and cotton in Kot Addu.

They said that the closure of DG Khan, Muzaffargarh and TP Link canals caused losses of billion of rupees to the poor.

They said that the major loss was the extinction of the Indus dolphin. They demanded that the World Bank and Irrigation Department form an independent commission to assess the losses of the people.